


The Way Flowers Talk

by Revar



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Other Mighty Nein as side characters, Pining, Slow Burn, Taking place sometime around episode 32, a lot of fluff, focus on Beau and Yasha
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-06 17:20:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15890565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Revar/pseuds/Revar
Summary: Beau doesn't know what to do about her feelings for Yasha. And what are those really? But then an unexpected ritual develops between them and things begin to change.





	1. Beau's Riddle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been years since I tried to write in seriousness. Love me some disaster Beau. Formatting on the phone is bullshit.
> 
> I try to be as canon compliant as I can. But I started this around episode 32 and as those things go it will inevitably diverge.

In the mix of the unexpectedly warm sun and the gentle rocking Beauregard was feeling somewhat sleepy. She was supposed to keep watch riding on the cart beside Caleb but they were traveling through open fields and she couldn't be bothered to pay much attention. Caleb had things in check. Her thoughts started drifting off. Or really circling around and around the same topic as always during the last days.

What to do about Yasha?

Beau was aware that she wasn't much of a talking or planning person. But she felt like she needed some kind of strategy here. She wasn't yet sure what exactly she wanted from Yasha but it was definitely more than 'occasional travel and drinking buddy'. Maybe just blowing off some steam with her once. Or twice. Or often. Maybe there was more, Beau didn't get to explore romantic feelings all that often so far. There never was space for it in her mind or life. She didn't know anything except wanting more than she had now.

The question was how to get there. Approaching Yasha felt more difficult to her than taking on a dozen of gnolls. Fighting was easy and straightforward, her kind of business. Feelings and words weren't. She was at a loss here.

"Beauregard?"

She snapped out of her musings. "Hm?"

Caleb gave her an uninterpretable glance. "I do not know what is plaguing your mind but I would appreciate it if it could happen quietly."

"What?"

Only then Beau noticed she was bouncing her staff against the cart like Jester bounced around on a pastry rush.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry."

Caleb thanked her with a nod. Just moments of silent travel had passed when he interrupted her thoughts again.

"It is unusual for you to apologize. Or be this contemplative."

Beau grumbled a "Fuck you too" at him but he shook his head. "I am not insulting you, I'm just noticing. Maybe I can help you with your troubles, you know I have read about a lot of different things."

She made a face at that and quipped, "Now stop bragging, will you? Or I'll spar with you tomorrow."

"I mean it," Caleb simply replied, unimpressed by the threat. "You have helped me in the past too."

Beau nodded and began absentmindedly tapping her staff against the wood again. Just when Caleb wanted to inquire her to stop once more she did so and huffed.

"Alright," she said and stretched her back. "Guide me with your vast romantic counsel."

"Oh."

"Mhm."

Caleb shifted on his seat uncomfortably. "That is indeed not my forte. Maybe you should ask-"

"Nope," Beau cut him off, "You're in this now. I'm not letting you off the hook until I feel enlightened."

"Shouldn't that be your expertise anyway?" Beau wasn't sure whether he was joking or trying to back out of the conversation - his face didn't give any tell as usual.

"Love.. is a mystery to us all," she sighed dramatically. Why not try him on this? He was knowledgeable. Something might come of it and if not she couldn't be worse off the situation than she was now. But she wouldn't be Beau if she wasn't going to tease him about it at least a little.

Caleb cleared his throat. "So.. What is it then?"

"Yasha."

"That is very specific."

Beau threw another grimace at him. "I don't know what to do."

"That is not any less of a riddle."

"Listen, buddy," she said slowly, "I'm serious about the sparring.."

Caleb just scrunched his nose at that. "I need more than that if you want an honest shot at help."

"Fine." Beau's head slumped down and she considered her next words carefully. "I want to know her better. At least that. But I don't know how to approach her. How to, ya know, get closer."

"Yes, I see. I really can just recommend talking to her."

"Words are not my strong suit," Beau noted.

For a moment Caleb was tempted to be a smartass about it but thought it over. This seemed to be serious to Beauregard. Far more serious than the occasional fling here and there. He also didn't want to tug too hard on the strings of their freshly solidifying friendship and decided on a genuine attempt.

"Words might not be the route to go here then."

"No shit," Beau remarked.

"Let me finish. Yasha appears to not be too keen on talking either. What else is there? What can you do that she might be comfortable with too?"

"Drink," she shot out. Then, less sure, "Fight? Uh.."

"Obviously neither got you far yet. To be frank, I personally don't know how one would find closeness in fighting."

Beau grumbled in agreement. "Me neither and I tried. She's not talkative, not when drunk either. She's like a damn brick wall."

Caleb took a deep breath. "I can only repeat my recommendation of asking someone else." He gave her an apologetic look. "Matters of feelings are more of a secret to me than magic. You-," he suddenly trailed off and looked into the distance, seemingly transfixed by something.

"Caleb?" She was tempted to poke him with the staff.

"I think.." he mumbled slowly as came back to his senses. "I think here's an idea. Nott mentioned Yasha likes flowers."

Beau frowned. "What, like some rich bags put on their tables to look pretty and useless? That would be unexpected."

"No, no. She puts them in a book. To.. keep tab on who she can't kill? Although I think Nott confused something there."

"Okay, and how is that suppo-"

"Hey! Hey Caleb!"

They both looked up to see Fjord come walking briskly towards the cart. When he reached it he pointed to a small thicket of trees and shrubbery ahead. "It's still early but the next town is far ahead and we're in no rush there. I think this is the best place to set up camp today. Let's pull over to the other side of the bushes, away from the road there, alright?"

Caleb nodded. "That is reasonable."

Beau did not feel like picking up the conversation again with someone else in earshot. She said, "Good talk, Caleb. Thanks." and jumped off the cart.

"But-"

She had already fallen back enough to make it clear the talking was definitely over on her end and Caleb could only give her another apologetic look. He turned to concentrate on maneuvering off the road.

As the Mighty Nein set out to prepare their camp Beau volunteered to gather firewood. Between the low bushes some yellow specks caught her eye and she picked one up.

 _'Flowers, huh?'_ she thought. _'Why not. If she likes them..'_

She made a mental note, stuck the flower behind her sash and went back to the others.


	2. Yasha's Riddle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party explores cultural differences about tea and Beau sets a plan in motion.

The next morning came after an uneventful night. The Mighty Nein crawled out of their bedrolls and began the day unhurriedly beneath dew covered trees sparkling in the morning sun. It promised to be another day of good weather. While Caduceus stoked the fire again and whipped up a simple breakfast Beau strolled off to do her exercises. On the way back she spotted different flowers and stuck one of them to the other in her sash. After eating and packing up they ventured into a quiet day of travel.

Beau decided to enjoy the sun and stretched out on the back of the cart. Next to her Nott inspected her trinkets and Caleb did something that eluded her with the beacon. His low murmuring slowly lulled her in.

The day passed as calmly as the night. A few lonely farms popped up scattered in the fields. They saw a single rider but he paid them no mind. Around noon they passed through a collection of houses, barely enough to be called a hamlet. On Fjord's suggestion they used the opportunity to stock up on basic foods the residents were willing to part from. They traveled on. The landscape gradually changed to be more forested. The sun wandered through the sky. The hours of the day dripped away like syrup.  
It was, for once, nothing but peaceful.

Eventually the tress stood dense enough to be called a forest. The road now was more of a path and grew more serpentine. Fjord proposed to settle for the night soon so they could use the last light of the day to hopefully catch some game. Caduceus recommended to search for a clearing just a little longer. Before they could argue the decision was taken from their hands.

As they turned around the next curve something else than tress, bushes, and dry earth came into view. Next to a fallen tree kneeled a single person, their back towards them, rummaging around on the ground. The person was clad all in grey, like a flare in contrast to the dark greens of the woods. Their hair fell black over their shoulders but faded to white at the tips.

Jester was the first to realize. "Yasha! Guys, it's Yasha!"

Yasha looked up at hearing her name, waved and stood up from her attempt to get a fire going, waiting for them to clear the rest of the distance. Jester had no patience for waiting though and jumped ahead to greet Yasha with a hug, which she returned awkwardly but with a slight smile.

After some welcoming commotion they started to set up camp just then and there. Jester and Nott shot a dozen questions at Yasha but she deferred them until everyone sat around a fire and one of Caduceus' stews was cooking.

"I am waiting no longer!"Jester declared. "Tell me eeeverything! Where have you been? What have you done? What are you doing in the middle of the forest? Did you-"

"Now hold yer horses there Jester," Fjord interrupted. "You gotta give her a chance to answer too."

"Aw man. You're probably right probably," she admitted with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"You just have to let her breathe and stuff your own mouth. Stew's done," Caduceus threw in and started filling their bowls. Fjord nudged Jester in the side with his elbow to suppress a foul-mouthed reply he could see coming by the expression on her face.

They dug into the food and exchanged stories of what had happened on their travels, even though Yasha was vague as always. She only revealed that she had stayed out of everyone's hair for the most time before catching word of them with The Gentleman in Zadash. Afterwards they passed around Nott's flask and she and Jester gave an impromptu reenactment of the fight against the ettin.

During all of that Beau tried to not too obviously get a closer look at Yasha. She appeared to be the Yasha they knew, unscathed by the incidents with the Iron Shepherds. But Beau also noticed a couple of new scars and bruises on her arms that hadn't fully healed and faded yet. It was hard to tell whether they were leftovers from the dungeon or received afterwards. She didn't want to dampen the joyful mood about Yasha's return and chose to see if she could find a chance to question her about them at another time.

The night crept up on them and the activity simmered down. They picked watch shifts and took care of their own business. Caleb had gone to rest earlier and a pretty drunk Nott made herself comfortable at his back. Jester was busy with her notebook. Beau would take the last watch and curled up under her blanket. She fell asleep to the sounds of crackling fire and Caduceus, Fjord and Yasha still talking quietly.

*     *     *     *     *

Yasha rose early. The sun was still hiding below the horizon and the forest was quiet. She took the stillness in for a handful of moments before getting up. Caduceus was already awake too and tending to the fire. She went to sit with him, they exchanged a greeting nod and he silently offered her a cup of tea which she readily took. The others stirred in their beds one after another while she watched Caduceus cook.  
Beau staggered past them, mumbled a "'orning" and disappeared between the trees. A little later Jester joined them at the fireside, still drowsy. Yasha remembered that for how lively she was she needed a while to shake her spirits awake. Caduceus offered her tea too but she politely declined. She yawned, cracked her shoulders and rubbed her eyes. "What's for breakfa-" Jester froze when she spotted the half empty cup in Yasha's hand. "Is that tea?" she asked tentatively.  


"It is," Yasha confirmed.

Jester cocked her head to the side. "And you drink that?"

"Yes? It's tea," Yasha replied irritatedly.

Jester studied her for a long moment before gingerly questioning, "Do you.. know what it is.. made of?"

Yasha's confusion grew. Why was Jester so hung up on something so mundane? They had tea even in Xhorhas, she was sure the Menagerie Coast saw a lot of it coming through the ports.

"It's tea. It's made of tea leaves."

"Yes, right, but what else?"

"Water? Jester, why are y-"

"It's people tea!" Jester burst out. "There's people in this tea! You're drinking people!"

"Oh." Yasha shot a curious glance at Caduceus who was wholly unaffected by the conversation. "And?"

Jester gasped. "What do you mean, 'And?', you're drinking other people!"

"Is that not the custom? Caduceus seems fine with it. I don't know how tea is usually grown."

"That is-, I-, It's not-" Jester stammered caught off guard.

"Tea grows on the soil. The soil only sometimes has people in it but sometimes it does. They're still useful and that's nice, even if they don't get anything from it personally," Caduceus interjected not looking up.

"What's going on here?" Fjord asked as he plopped down next to Yasha - the others had been drawn in by Jester's exclamations. She shared her concern about Yasha's indifference to drinking 'people soup', as she named it. Caduceus explained, again, how it wasn't the same as making stock off corpses. Nott's remark about people being a staple food for other races unsurprisingly didn't help calm down the discussion. Yasha still didn't see the problem.

At some point Beau rejoined them, far more awake now after working out and covered in a fine sheen of sweat. "Maybe we should give Duce a break someday and let Nott cook. Hot human stew for dinner sounds great," she teased Jester.

"Really, Beau?" Fjord shook his head. "But about stew.. Caduceus, you got any of that for us?"

Jester gave the pot a cautious squint but Caduceus assured her that no human parts had found their way into the leftovers over night. Noticing her hunger she quickly cast the issue aside and went onto eating. But she couldn't help shooting glances at Yasha not giving up on the tea.

*     *     *     *     *

When they were sated and had set a plan for the day everyone gathered their belongings. Yasha collected her things, got up to store her bag on the cart and grabbed her greatsword. Before her fingers closed around the hilt though she noticed something unfamiliar. Two flowers were laying on the guard.  
That was new. She picked them up for a closer examination - one was yellow with five big petals, the other had slim orange ones and both were a little crumpled-up. Neither of them were familiar to her. Yasha turned one slowly in her fingers and gave this a thought. They had been placed on her sword deliberately to make sure she'd find them but who would be so indirect about it? Jester? No, she was too upfront about everything she did. Nott? Maybe. She was shy and careless with most of her stuff and she had given her flowers before. But that had been about Nott's weird notion of Yasha killing her.  
Regardless, Yasha liked the flowers and thought it a nice gesture so she took her book from the bag and put them in it. She would have to have a talk with the goblin girl about this Xhorhasian spy nonsense. And of course thank her.  


In the meantime Beau had finished packing up and tried to sneak glances at Yasha from the other side of the camp. When Yasha put the flowers in the book Beau nodded to herself. She kicked dirt over the smoldering embers of the fire and the Nein wandered off.

*     *     *     *     *

Another relaxed day later they settled at a small stream and used the opportunity to clean up in the fresh water. Fjord and Nott set out to actually hunt this time; Caduceus tried his luck with fishing. The horses were taken care of and later a copious meal was roasting over the fire.

When it was time to split up watch shifts Beau offered to take the first. Yasha, who had been relatively silent, jumped at the chance to accompany her. Beau found that to be odd but didn't think to complain.

Night fell and they were left alone after Caleb had spun his thread around the campsite. Yasha took care of her sword and nursed some tea. Beau pretended to inspect her throwing stars but wasn't doing much with them besides twisting them around and picking off nonexistent specks of dirt. She wanted to be nowhere else than where she was, close to Yasha, kind if alone with Yasha, but her thoughts were far away.

This was a chance. This was a chance and her goddamn warpath with words bit her in the ass. She felt hesitant about picking up conversation, wasn't sure about a fruitful topic and was afraid of it awkwardly dying down. She didn't want to make things more difficult than they were now. For once she was serious about someone and it left her clueless. She wanted to rely on her charm but if she was honest with herself she wasn't as charismatic as she posed herself to be. It worked out then and now but flings passed and were meaningless. This though, this shit was hard. Feelings were complicated bullshit with the potential to explode into messy business.

"Ouch!"

Beau winced and glimpsed down at where she had accidentally poked her finger. A little bit of blood accumulated on her fingertip. "Dammit. Stupid.."

"You should be more careful," Yasha said but didn't spare her a glance. "Do you want me to heal it?"

Beau sucked the blood off her finger and shook her head. "No, it's really nothing. But thanks." She went to put the throwing stars away when an insight flashed through her mind. "About healing though.."  
Yasha raised an eyebrow at her but put her attention back to the sword in her hands.

Uncertain about what box she was about to open she cleared her throat to stall for time and muster the courage but opted to just go for it. "Why do you not heal your own wounds?"

At that Yasha tensed up. When she moved again she sat the sword down in her lap and turned to Beau.

 _'Shit,'_ Beau thought, _'that hit the wrong nerve.'_ But she didn't back out of the question and held up to Yasha's stern gaze. In the flickering light of the flames her face was even more unreadable than usual.

"Some things are meant to be remembered longer than others," she responded at last and turned to stare into the fire.

That left Beau entirely unsatisfied. What kind of cryptic answer was that? But what did she expect? Should she push at it more or would Yasha shut her out altogether then? It sure felt like treading on dangerous territory.

"I'll offer you a trade."

Beau snapped out of her reflections. "What?"

"I have a riddle for you. If you can solve it I promise to tell you what I did and why." She considered her words for a brief moment and added, "Eventually."

Beau pounced at that prospect without second thought. "I'm into it. I mean, sure."

Yasha nodded and began, "If I find flowers at my bedside and ask almost all of my friends if they put them there but no one did - what does that leave me with?"

A shudder of realization ran down Beau's back as she listened. _Fuck._ This wasn't how she had hoped to reveal this by any chance. In fact, she hadn't contemplated that part at all yet.

"Uh.. the Traveler maybe?" she tried.

There was nothing to make out in Yasha's expression. "Unlikely."

Beau shifted in her place. "Nott? How do you know she didn't lie to you?"

"She wouldn't, she gave me flowers before. And I think she is still too intimidated by me to lie."

"Flower ghosts then," Beau said with little conviction. "Definitely."

Finally Yasha looked back at her. "I think it leaves me with a certain monk." There was a glimmer in her eyes and the faintest of smiles caught in the corners of her lips and Beau understood she was being teased.

She eased up and smiled at her sheepishly. "Maybe?"

"I think Caduceus didn't hallucinate you putting them down."

"Oh." _Dammit._ She would have to give him some input on the more subtle dynamics of the group. "Yeah, probably not, but who knows what he has hidden away in his herb pouches?"

"Delicious tea at least," Yasha remarked and grabbed her cup for a sip.

Beau shrugged and didn't know what to reply. But she didn't exactly mind because she got distracted studying Yasha's face. The fire deepened the darkness in her mane and made shadows dance across her face. The light dimly glinted on the beads in her hair and made her eyes glow. It was captivating to watch. Hypnotizing. Yasha didn't look away and she felt pulled in deeper.

Then Yasha asked quietly, "Why?" without breaking eye contact.

And again Beau was at a loss for words. Should she just put her intentions on the table? The question hung in the air like an invitation. _'Or a trap,'_ a doubt slipped into her mind. She remembered how she struck at something in Yasha she wasn't ready to expose yet just moments ago and realized she didn't know how to balance on the tightrope between breaking her shell and poking too deep.  
It was too soon.

"Just so," she muttered. "I'm an ass but not an asshole. Believe it or not, I can be nice for no reason."

Yasha quirked an eyebrow. For a moment it looked like she wanted to disagree but she let it slip.

"I believe you. And thank you, Beau. I like the flowers."

"Uh, sure. No problem."

They fell silent, each studying the other. Despite the tiny glimpse at her humorous side earlier Yasha's unmoving features were impenetrable to Beau's inability to read people.

"Give me your hand."

"What? Why?" Beau asked.

Yasha held out a hand to put hers in. "Just do it." And Beau just did. She wouldn't deny an opportunity for contact.

Yasha turned Beau's hand so her palm faced upwards. With the index finger on the other she touched the wound on Beau's and concentrated. An almost imperceptible glow enveloped both their fingertips and Beau felt a gentle prickling. Yasha took her hands away when she was done. "It is the very least I can do to thank you," she said.

"Yeah.. Thank you.."

Beau just stared at her hand and Yasha gave her a quizzical look. It wasn't the first time she experienced healing magic so what was so fascinating? Had she failed it? Undoubtedly not. There were a lot of peculiarities about the people outside of Xhorhas for her to learn. She left Beau to her transfixion and returned to tending to her sword.

When she was done with her work she tapped Beau's shoulder. "I think it's time to wake Caleb and Nott."

"Hm?" Beau snapped out of her trance and awkwardly cleared her throat. "Yeah, yeah, sure." She jumped to her feet and scratched her neck. "I'll go get them. Uh.. Sleep well."  
As she hurried off to get the two Yasha looked after her with an indeterminable expression. She shrugged to herself, gathered her sword and went to rest.

In her bedroll Beau tried to burn the feeling of Yasha's calloused hand around hers into her memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone gets a riddle. Riddles galore. Formatting on phone is still bullshit and so is writing dialogue. I hope I don't get any of the characters too ooc. Please correct me on grammatical errors and wrong usage of idioms.  
> Actual detective work went into determining whether Yasha knew people tea, flowchart and all. I'm a lil sad Yasha got to know about people tea before this :(
> 
>  
> 
> Soylent green is people!


End file.
